RAGWORT PROBLEM

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 54, Issue 32627, 28 September 1945, Page 5

RAGWORT PROBLEM

SCARCELY WORTH WHILE OPINION IN OHINEMURI £6OO GRANT FROM GOVERNMENT The opinion that the work of eradicating noxious weeds in the county, even with Government subsidies, was under existing conditions scarcely worth while, was expressed by the Ohinemuri county engineer, Mr L. E. Shaw, during discussion of a communication received from the Department of Agriculture at the council’s September meeting. The department advised’ that financial assistance for the control of noxious weed’s (particularly ragwort) would be provided as in previous seasons, and to enable the council to undertake this work an allocation of £6OO had been made'.

Inter alia, the letter noted that over a period of years many councils had made little progress in obtaining recovery of co£ts involved in carrying out noxious weeds eradication work on farmed private lands, and it was desired to emphasise that the finacial assistance scheme in this connection was intended primarily for work on unoccupied Crown and/or uriindividualised native lands, abandoned farms, and farms of indigent owners. The department indicated l that un> less there was a marked improvement in the matter of recoveries it would have no option but to review the conditions of the scheme, and possibly insist that before work was carried out on private lands an actual statement of the individual’s financial position, supported by a declaration, be submitted. It was contended that only in isolated instances should it be necessary for the department ultimately to bear the cost of noxious weeds work on private lands. Inadequacy of Labour

The county clerk, Mr A. A. Jenkinson, stated that the council had applied for £7OO for this year, but was promised £6OO as before. Cr. S. H. Thompson: Was any of the cost of weed eradication on private lands last year recovered' from the owners ? The engineer: We didn’t do any eradication on private properties last year. With the inadequacy of labour available, both in quantity and quality, added Mr Shaw, the whole business of weed eradication at the present time appeared to be of doubtful value, even with the subsidy. Cr. G. A. Avery: There will be more labour available this year, and perhaps the results will be better. The engineer: The better type of man won’t take the job on. The letter- was 1 received and it was decided to accept he department subsidy of £6oo’, on the conditions stipulated by the Department of Agriculture.